The invisible poltergeist hurls a scalpel at Theodore.
Attack:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20 Damage:1d4 ⇒ 2
Since the poltergeist is using Telekinesis, the square that the scalpel flew from is not necessarily the square where the spirit is. It does not become visible when it attacks (though it will become visible if and when it uses its Frightener ability again).
This is a poltergeist, an undead creature. It is both incorporeal and (usually) invisible.
Theodore Sense Motive DC 12:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Theodore:
A poltergeist is not a haunt, but it is a rejuvenating spirit and so your Spirit Sleuth training kicks in. You sense that only the destruction of all the major spirits in Harrowstone will put this poltergeist to rest.
Finding a way to harness a horse to the door could prove challenging. If you had chains, and could attach them to the door handle, you would be more likely to rip off the handle (possibly rendering it unable to open) than open the door.
A crowbar around the jamb would be the most plausible way of opening it, but if you have no such option at present, looking for the key might be better.
Taking Marill's idea...
The party moves to the north.
Several moldy cots lay strewn around this room, while doors to smaller, more private sleeping cells hang askew to the west. Judging from the rest of this room’s decor, this must have once been the prison’s infirmary.
Going through the auditorium again might expose you to the Cold Spot haunt once more; you don't know if it has reappeared, but if it has, you know it can be fought by fire as well as by positive energy.
The east-west corridor south of the auditorium leads to a locked iron door, which perhaps you now have the ability to open. Anybody improve Disable Device on leveling up, or learn Enlarge Person?
There are numerous rooms in the western corridor to explore
There are more rooms to the north as well
If you want to pick a specific direction, I will go with the "Rule of Two." If nobody does that, I'll just move you ahead into one direction or another. But I do want to give you time to make any preparations you wish.
Ismene's lips twitch worriedly as she tracks the undead back to a grave in the Restlands.
Once they seek out the priest, she asks him, "Father Grimburrow, I do not mean to be indelicate, but how is it that a body properly interred in hallowed ground was able to rise like this? Is there no way to protect the dearly departed from this unholy state?"
"There is, but it is costly. The spell Hallow would likely prevent such desecration. I have neither the magical ability nor the material resources to cast it. And it would not be able to cover the entirety of the Restlands. Just a small patch that would then be fought over and bid on such that only the wealthiest families could have such protection."
"This is Ustalav," he says with a weary sigh. "The influence of the Whispering Tyrant lives on throughout the land. And so it is no easy thing anywhere in our country to keep the dead in peaceful rest.
Here in Ravengro, I fear that spirits stirring in Harrowstone Prison have caused this, and perhaps other trouble besides. I will hire guards for the Restlands tonight, to watch and make sure it is not a necromancer at work."
Theophania "The Great Tiff" wrote:
Tiff calmly pats her brother's shoulder in a comforting fashion, "Don't worry the expert is here."
She turns to the father, "Yeah that's right, even if the townsfolk scorn us, we'll thanklessly save them from whatever this foul threat is. Juuuuust as soon as we find out what it is. Stupid necromancers, they just don't understand consent."
The priest shrugs. "You are new in town and trouble has happened. Those of lesser intellect may draw an erroneous conclusion. Do not expect too much from people and you will not be disappointed. But as to gratitude, you have mine and that of my goddess."
Back to Harrowstone? Continue with the first floor?
"We should definitely get Father Grimburrow to properly re-inter the body. Only he can do the right job. Otherwise we risk his soul or body returning"
Theodore is a fully ordained priest of Pharasma, so he could do the job, but Father Grimburrow is the town priest.
In a short while, you are able to summon Father Grimburrow to the Restlands. His voice is brusque and hoarse, but his words have some compassion to them.
"Bad business, this. You did the right thing to seek to re-inter him.
We in the faith of Pharasma are taught to destroy the undead abominations, but most every one of them wears the form that was once somebody's loved one. It's never easy when you know them.
Garvin was a good man. His time came sooner than his family thought it should have. Sickness of the lungs. He is missed.
Harrowstone is stirring. I know this wasn't you. You didn't awaken anything. Lorrimor might have, but even there I think not. Something else.
Some of the townsfolk may not be so sure that it wasn't you. I will try to keep this quiet. You all, put an end to the matter. The sooner the better."
"Different holy symbols? So Father Charlatan, most likely.
That sounds like you encountered spirits of two of the five most notorious prisoners. We can take down notes on your experience another time, Theodore. I must say you look... well, better now than before."
Just wanted that fact shared IC so that Theodore has the information. I'm good to move on now. Also, remember that I am doing ABP at level +1 to account for the lack of magic-marts, so you all have a +1 Resistance bonus to all saves.
---
South of Lorrimor Place, you pass a set of Posting Poles.
The best sources for local news in Ravengro are the posting poles located throughout the town. Here one can find dozens of messages tacked to one of the five huge posts jutting out of the ground.
Pevrin Elkarid, the oldest son of the owner of the Laughing Demon tavern, has taken the role of Post Boy for the last 3 years, charging 1 cp to transcribe five copies of a post and then ensuring that the copies are posted for at least a week.
It is at the Posting Poles that the locals leave news of nuptials, job postings for farmhands, or notices of missing pets. The most popular regular item at the Posting Poles, however, is the “Wealday Parchment”—a weekly posting written by elderly councilman Gharen Muricar that summarizes Ravengro’s current politics. Occasionally, it even carries news of events beyond Ravengro’s borders. The “Wealday Parchment” is the closest thing Ravengro has to a weekly paper.
The current "Wealday Parchment" does not mention the arrival of a group of strangers, an unfortunate confrontation at the Restlands, nor desecration of the Memorial - so it must have come out before those events. You can be fairly certain the next Parchment will feature you.
A man lies slumped against poles, hat pulled down over his face, either sick or drunk.
Added the information you know about the spirits to the Campaign Info tab, as well as the cheerful little ditty. You've explored all of the top floor of the prison, a good part of the first floor, none of the balconies, and none of the dungeon. There were some pretty solid locked doors, though with the level-up and specific preparation you may be able to handle them.
"Of course, Theodore," replies Kendra. "I'll start with the brandy. If you change your clothes I can have the maid start on laundry. I assume you have brought changes, but if not, there may be some of Father's that would fit.
Can you tell me what happened to you, Theodore? And Quinn, sir, can you tell me of the spirits you have met?"
I believe Theodore and Ismene still need to level up.
Feel free to catch each other up on what happened and narrate your departure from Harrowstone.
---
Weary and wounded, the party makes its way out of this haunted place and back to Lorrimor Place. Nothing troubles you on the way.
"You have returned!" says Kendra. "It has been quiet here. What have you found?
Oh, goodness, Theodore, you look dreadful. I am no healer, but I believe you need bed rest."
While you are resting, feel free to Level up to 2!
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11 Damage:1d6 ⇒ 2
The priest looks pleased at something.
"We are in Ravengro, of course. Would you wish to pay a visit to Kendra Lorrimor? She is still in town, and it was she that paid for your funeral. It was a very nice one. Dignified."
Then... he fades away. All is dark.
Everybody else:
The ghostly chains corrode, crack, and vanish as Marill touches the Haunt Siphon to them. The Siphon fills with green mist.
Theodore does not regain consciousness; although no longer thrashing, his breath is weak and labored, only briefly finding the strength to cough up blood.
Party up!
Theodore is at negative HP. Will get a Con save on his next turn.
Quinn's Haunt Siphon seems to corrode the ghostly chains, and Tiff's use of the Rod of Healing corrodes them further, but the chains do not break.
Theodore continues to thrash against them, his efforts weakening as blood trickles from his mouth.
Marill and Ismene still to go.
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 1d6 ⇒ 4
The priest smiles.
"Oh yes, you may get up.
Well, Pharasma does not prohibit Her clergy from casting Resurrection, you know. A significant sacrifice is required to allow a detour from the River of Souls, but even so - she knows that you will return to Her in time. What matter is a few decades? She knew that this spell would be cast, and so delayed in passing judgement on your soul. Once you have been judged and sent to the Great Beyond, well, that is truly final."
Ismene takes the Haunt Siphon from Tiff and uses it on the Cold Spot.
Damage:3d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 4) = 15
The Haunt Siphon fills with greenish mist, and the temperature of the room begins to climb.
2 Haunt Siphons used.
Theodore continues to thrash. You hear his ribs crack as the ghostly chains tighten.
1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 2 = 20 1d6 ⇒ 5
A brief glimpse of unease flickers across the priest's face.
Theodore also has the slightest sensation of pressure on his arms, though nothing seems to be holding him.
"Why, you died in Harrowstone. Your companions brought your body back here. They found a priest of Irori to travel with them, faced many horrors, and in time - six months later - they were able to afford the diamond necessary for your return. Out of pity, they sent the diamond here so that we could bring you back."
Everyone except Theodore:
Quinn tries to attend to Theodore.
Ismene and Marill may act! Tiff has a Ghost Siphon in hand if you wish to take and use it.
Ismene Religion:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19 Marill Religion:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 Tiff Religion:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Ismene, Marill, and Tiff all realize that Theodore has fallen under the effect of another Haunt (in addition to the Cold Spot haunt in this room). The Haunt Siphon could affect it (or it could be used against the Cold Spot), as possibly could spells such as Protection from Evil or Remove Fear.
There is a particular situation occurring with Theodore. If he posts here in a spoiler, please do not read it (yet).
And Theodore, please do not read spoilers I post for the others.
Most of my spoilers are fine to read (e.g. Initiative, or the shockingly lousy Perception one above) and only used for making posts easier to read, but I will mark them with names when they are not for everyone.
Everybody except Theodore:
As Theodore falls to the floor unconscious, ghostly chains manifest and wrap around his body. The chains, decorated with numerous holy symbols, are slowly tightening. The Exorcist thrashes about in great pain and distress. Please make any posts reacting to this in spoilers marked "Everybody except Theodore".
The large room to the east of the central hallway is the auditorium.
Several rows of wooden benches, all spotted with mold and sagging with neglect, face a stage walled off from the rest of the room by a wall of iron bars.
The warmth is drained from your bodies and your souls.
Negative Energy Damage:1d6 ⇒ 4 Also, everyone please make a DC 11 Fort save or take 1 point of Str damage.
Theodore Will, vs fear:1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 2 = 9
Theodore falls to the ground.
This is a Cold Spot haunt, and it can be harmed by fire as well as by positive energy.
Surprise Round Tiff -4, Fort DC 11 or 1 Str damage
Round 1 Theodore -4, Fort DC 11 or 1 Str damage - Sir Not-Appearing-in-this-Combat
Ismene -4, Fort DC 11 or 1 Str damage
Quinn -4, Fort DC 11 or 1 Str damage
Marill -4, Fort DC 11 or 1 Str damage
Haunt
Yeah, the search function was so helpful for PbP games. Don't know what is wrong.
Theodore surmises that his sister is likely correct - these various holy symbols are those of faiths common in Ustalav, and would have been used by Father Charlatan (aka Father Sefick Corvin).
Do you take the holy symbols or touch the corpse?
Not at all a leading question...
The kitchen, in the middle of the east side, is nothing more than charred remains.
The guardpost to the south, which Marill had been checking out before the stirge attack, contains little of note. It is blocked from the cellblock by an arc of iron bars. Within sits an old wooden table and a few chairs.
The cells in the southeast corner do each contain skeletons, but none of them animate at your arrival.
One remaining cell stands out as different from the others. It is along the south wall, just west of the guardpost. Although the cell is rather spacious, it contains no concessions to comfort. A skeletal body dressed in the rotting remains of a prisoner’s robe lies slumped against the eastern wall, wrapped in numerous chains on which are affixed numerous weights emblazoned with several different holy symbols.
A ghostly figure advances on you, playing a flute and accompanied by a flock of stirges. You try to run, but you cannot, entranced by the music. Make a DC 14 Will save at the start of your turn to avoid being Shaken (same as everyone), and then a DC 14 Will save as a full-round action to throw off the Hold Person effect.
Everybody needs to make a DC 14 Will save at the start of their turn to avoid being Shaken by the Piper's song. Marill's Countersong is not strong enough (this round, anyway) to overcome the effect.
The Cleric Channels again!
[dice=Channel Positive Energy]1d6
Any Knowledge(Religion) to know how to turn it off?
[dice=Knowledge(Religion)]1d20+5
Haunt at -5 HP.
Theodore knows that haunts can be damaged by positive energy or by holy water. Generally, targeting any location in the haunt's area of effect has a good chance of working. There are also some rare combat techniques that work against haunts the Soulblade feat. And, there are those four Haunt Siphons you found in the Pharasman cache.
A Cure Light Wounds spell would work if you succeed on an attack roll against AC 10, and the haunt does not get a save for half. The Rod of Healing should work here as well. I see that at Level 2 Theodore gets much better at figuring haunts out.
In case you all forgot about the Haunt Siphons, I will let anybody who wants one have one of the four, and anybody who wants to retcon their actions this round to use can do so.
Marill's starknife misses, as does Quinn's shield bash.
@Quinn - you had a +1 in your attacks, but Inspire Courage is not up. Marill is doing Countersong instead.
The remaining skeleton attacks Quinn.
Claw:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11 Claw:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Even with his shield out of position after bashing, his armor deflects the claws.
The haunting flute continues to play, but again Marill's singing is a match for it and the party is unaffected.
@Marill, it's a free action to maintain Bardic Performance once started. Do you want to do anything else? Even Total Defense if you can't see any other options.
Excellent idea Marill! Although this is not specifically called out as a sonic effect, it seems beyond obvious to me that Countersong should work here.
Marill begins singing, followed shortly by a disembodied, mournful dirge played on a flute. It is not trying to harmonize with his singing but rather overwhelm his singing and strike fear into your hearts.
As his Perform result is enough to beat the DC, and you could choose to use his result after rolling your saves, everybody successfully saves this round.
The skeletons slumped in their cells begin to stir to the music of the Piper of Illmarsh; although most of them are locked in their cells, some of the cells are open... four skeletons stand and emerge.
Quinn does not seem to be paralyzed, nor is he suffering any adverse effects from his minor blood loss.
The Mess Hall
Wooden benches once lined this large hall, but several are now stacked in a jumble and others are overturned in disarray. Weakened by fire, the entire east wall has collapsed away, creating an unintended entryway to a wooden deck beyond. The view of the lake beyond would be beautiful if the silence were not so eerie.
---
Moving on, you continue to explore this upper floor. The room next to the mess hall is an empty privy once used by the guards. Nothing remains in there.
The Western Cellblock
Row upon row of ten-foot-square prison cells line the walls, each separated from the passing hallway by a series of iron bars fitted with a narrow iron door. Skeletons slump in many of the cells, the bones scattered where they lie and coated with a mixed layer of ancient ashes and fresh mold.
The northwest room is a bit different; it is a short hallway leading to a reinforced wood-and-iron door that must lead out to a balcony.
The two remaining stirges continue to attack.
Tiff having stepped in to defend her brother, the stirge tries to make a meal out of her.
Tiff AOO already rolled Black vs Tiff:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
While it is fast enough to dodge Tiff's antlers, she is likewise fast enough to dodge its probiscis.
The other one goes for Quinn...
Quinn AOO:1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 4 + 1 = 16 Damage:1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7
But he is just fast enough with his sword, thanks to Marill's bardic magic. The stirge falls.
@Marill, I'm assuming you were maintaining Inspire Courage this round. Do keep track because they go by fast at low level.
One left!
Party up!
Round 2 Theodore
Round 3 Tiff
Ismene
Marill
Quinn (1 Con damage)
Stirge
Botting Ismene
Wary of catching her allies in the splash (she does not have Precise Bombs yet as best as I can tell), Ismene moves up and punches at a stirge with her spiked gauntlet.
Attack, IC +1:1d20 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 + 1 = 12
That too is a miss.
The stirges attack!
Black on Theodore vs flat-footed touch AC:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 Pharasma is with Theodore and he is able to dodge.
Teal on Quinn:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10 Quinn evades the stirge's barbed legs.
Red on Quinn:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13 However, the second stirge does hit his Touch AC, latching on.
Quinn takes 1 point of Constitution damage (no effect yet).
01-10 disease:1d100 ⇒ 14 Well there's that at least.
Round 1 Theodore
Round 2 Tiff
Ismene
Marill
Quinn (1 Con damage)
Stirges (Red is considered Grappled and AC 12; others are AC 16)
The stairs lead up to the second level of the prison. These were the more comfortable cells, generally for less nefarious prisoners. The generally-intact ceilings are 12 feet above you; the doors, in worse repair, hang askew from their hinges.
In the area to the south, a guard area is separated from the cellblock by an arc of iron bars. Within sits an old wooden table and a few chairs.
There appear to be cells around the perimeter walls, and perhaps a mess hall in the northeast.
